I’ve spent £35k on Christmas decorations which light up my whole home, my Scrooge husband hates it but I don’t care
A CHRISTMAS mad gran, who vowed to give up her £30k decoration collection, defied her Scrooge-like husband and decorated her house once again after spending another £5k.
Betty Ann Jones, 79, from Wales, decorated every room in her house this festive period, even after previously deciding that she was going to give up her extravagant Christmas decorations.
After buying another six Christmas trees last year alone, Betty Ann says she is running out of space for her thousands of decorations.
Her husband, Keith, also 79, hates Christmas, but that doesn't stop Betty Ann from going all out with the decorations as she has even created Santa's grotto in her garden with a 7ft sleigh.
She said: "I have no idea how Keith can hate Christmas while living with me. He thinks I'm mad.
"But although he doesn't like it, he does give me a hand with decorating the outside of the house.
"While I have been up and down the ladders indoors, decorating every room in our house - even though I will be 80 on my next birthday!
"I previously said I was going to give up decorating the house and I didn't do it last year because of covid.
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"But I couldn't resist turning the house into a Christmas grotto again. I love the smile on people's faces when they see the house.
"I've brought an extra six Christmas trees this year in preparation. I even brought a Christmas tree home with me from Florida when I visited a couple of years ago.
"It's a snowman Christmas tree. It's so unique I had to buy it."
Betty Ann has over 20 Christmas trees in her home this year, along with Santa's grotto and a 7ft sleigh in the garden where she will have children in to meet Santa, to raise money for charity.
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She says that the kids think her home is magical and that she is friends with Father Christmas.
Betty Ann added: "My love for Christmas came about because I spent 20 years running a nursing home.
"The residents loved Christmas so I wanted to make it as special as possible for them.
"And then I started going on trips to Christmas markets in Germany where I would pick up all of my decorations.
"Over the past 30 years, I have been collecting decorations and spent around £35k on them all.
"One of my favourite decorations is a nativity set that I bought in Germany because that is the true meaning of Christmas.
"I love it.
"It takes quite a while to get all the decorations up, especially now I am getting older. So this year I started at the beginning of November to make sure they were done in time.
"I think doing this to the house for Christmas is really special and unique, especially because we raise money for charity.
"It brings a lot of joy to so many people, even if Keith isn't so keen."
Betty Ann says she doesn't think she can buy any more decorations as she has nowhere else to store them or even places to display them.
The house is jam-packed with Father Christmas figures, nativity scenes, Christmas tree, snowmen and even 12 reindeers on a window sill.
Betty Ann said: "When people see the house they think it is fantastic. They can't believe that I do it all myself and they are shocked at how many decorations I have managed to fit inside of the house.
"Although I did say that I was going to give up the decorating, after the year everyone has had I wanted to bring something happy and positive to put a smile on our faces.
"I can't imagine not living in a Christmas grotto over the festive period, but as I am approaching 80 I think it might be time to slow down.
"People can't believe I get up and down the ladder hundreds of times a day to get everything in place.
"I guess I'll have to wait and see what happens next year."
Meanwhile, savvy parents swear by the Christmas "four-gift rule"; which saves them time AND money.
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And this crafty mum created a teepee Christmas tree which you can crawl inside.
Plus mums are going wild for this cardboard Santa's grotto from The Range, which costs just £9.99.